What is your favorite John Hartford song? It doesn't necessarily have to be a song that was written by John. It might be one that you have heard him perform.

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  06:27:55        

I'm a big fan of "Don't Leave Your Records in the Sun"

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  06:31:27  

live i thought he had a great rendition of 'take another little piece of my heart'

from his albums i like

'but i'm still here' and 'i'm in love with the girl with the long brown hair' from 'housing project'

also i don't know the title but there's one i think he did with bill monroe
old river man's lonesome old river's mans blue

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  06:45:45      

i still like aereoplane, or crease in the middle, from "retro-grass" memphis

Hank

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  06:50:58      

I love Jug Harris, from the Gum Tree Canoe (I think) album. It's so quirky!

If you make a mistake once, it''s a mistake. If you make a mistake twice, it''s jazz!

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  07:31:25      

I think Steam Powered Aereoplane is one of the best banjo tunes written, let alone just limiting to John. But, Gum Tree is probably my favorite melody.

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  07:40:04    

"Old River Man," w/ his double thumb on the 5th string technique.
cottontop

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  07:41:09          

Chris,

Firstly, I am a big fan of your work. Love your guitar playing.

I could never narrow down my favorite Hartford songs too much, but today they include:

Old Time River Boat Man
Tall Buildings
The Julia Belle Swain
Skippin' In The Mississippi Dew
First Girl I Loved
I Wish We Had Our time Again
Let Him Go On Mama

As for instrumental music, I loved Hartford's fiddling and banjo playing. Among my favorite recordings is the one he did with Texas Shorty; it's called Old Sport and it's all banjo fiddle duets with Hartford on banjo. On this recording, we find Hartford playing beautiful backup banjo to fiddle tunes instead of a series of competitively exchanged breaks between the two instruments; as is so often the case today. I highly recommend this one.

For his fiddle playing; Speed of the Old Long Bow and Hamilton Ironworks are great recordings.

Chris Quinn
www.foggyhogtownboys.com

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  07:42:11            

Gum Tree Canoe



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOA86MeCrro

"Gospel. The most powerful music in this world and the next."



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Edited by - frailin on 07/29/2009 07:42:51

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  07:43:56        

Steamboat Whistle Blues
"Bluegrass music is a thing of the past, and the same for rock and roll".

www.bobbythompsonbanjo.com

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  08:11:51      

I love the entire aereo-takes album,and Gum Tree Canoe is one of my favorites

"There''s no such thing as a wrong note, as long as you''re singing."
Pete Seeger

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  08:16:37        

Steam Powered Aereoplane and Gum Tree Canoe

Edited by - CoolSpring on 07/31/2009 10:01:03

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  08:47:05          

i love them all, John Hartford what a great song and dance man, if there was one song i love more, would have to be Gentle on my mind.

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  08:47:16      

That is like asking which of your kids you like the best. I do like Julia Belle Swain, Skippin in the Mississippi Dew,Steamboat whistle Blues, Old Time Riverman and Watchin the River Roll By. I am sure that I am missing many, many more. I am particularly fond of the video Down from the Mountain Tour especially the scene of the rehearsal with the Peasall Sisters. Who would say, "Play it fast like rock and roll."

Mike

To peace, happiness, banjos that stay in tune and people likewise

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  08:54:31  

They are all so classic, but Steam Powered Aereoplane....maybe Vamp in the Middle.

"If the girl''s alive at the end of the song, it ain''t bluegrass"

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  08:57:59    

The one about the old washing machine.

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  09:11:25  

"Lorena" would be my favorite

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  09:50:57  

I loved all his river and steamboat songs. Living only a few minutes from the Mississippi, there's never a time I cross it and see either a tow or a paddle wheler that I don't think of John Hartford.

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  09:53:46      

I love his version of Lorena.
GerryH

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  11:20:57  

"Howard Hughes's Blues", from Morning Bugle and Steam Powered Areo-Takes. I like the second version better because of Vassar's fiddling.

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  11:35:19            

There are so many -

Favorite serious original "Old Time Riverman"

Favorite funny original "Washing Machine"

Favorite cover is a tie between "Gumtree Canoe" and "Lorena"

I also liked his "California Eartquake" song.

Gary Blanchard
"an outlier among outliers"
http://www.gbandf.com

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  11:36:24          

quote:

---

Originally posted by orioletb1

I'm a big fan of "Don't Leave Your Records in the Sun"

---

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  12:45:12      

"On Christmas Eve"

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  13:17:18      

nobodys mentioned golden globes yet so I will.
I listen to at least 3 of his songs everyday. it's better than an apple. Doesn't matter which theyre all great. He was everything a musician ought to be.

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  14:13:37      

Steam Powered Aeroplane and Morning Bugle.
One is agreat banjo tune, the other great lyrics.

Posted - 07/29/2009 :  14:15:34    

Old time riverman.Used to be on you tube but its gone now.

Blarney Pilgrim
"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men"